As anyone who reads my blog will know, I tend to have several projects going at once. Thanks to Becka (http://whimsicalknitting.blogspot.com/), a knitter whoís work I admire and whoís blog I enjoy, I figured out WHY itís imperative for my families sake, my health and my financial well being to have multiple UFOís! The consequences to my family and myself are quiet dire if I were to become a single project knitter.

A little history. As many of you know, Becka knits one project at a time. She finishes each project and doesnít have a hoard of UFOís. I admire her for this. I did try and corrupt Becka and convince her that multiple projects at a time were the way to go, but she discovered that one at a time really is bestÖ for her!

Thatís when I realized why it works for her and doesnít work for me. Becka is organized in her approach to knitting! When she starts a project she most likely has everything she needs on hand.

Me.. I walk into my yarn cellar and see what pattern calls out to be knit. Then I dig around in my yarn to find the yarn that is begging to go with that pattern.

http://www.beartoes.com/images/yarn-cellar-06-small.jpg

The problem is, the yarns that raise their fibers to be picked for a project donít always check to see if they are up to the job. If they have enough yardage qualifications. Sometimes I like to live on the edge and see if I can help the yarn STRETCH itself to reach itís goal. Itís the teacher/mentor personality in me. If the yarn comes close but isnít quite up to a pattern by itself, I try and find mentor yarns that can help the original yarn complete itís project.

I enjoy finding the undiscovered potential of yarns when mixed to work together in this way. The problem is that occasionally in my quest, I donít check first to see if someone else has borrowed the needle size Iíll need later in the project. Or, I may have yarn just BEGGING to become a teddy bear, and start knitting knowing the yarn will need to learn patience while waiting for itís internal fortitude. It takes time to go from yarn to teddy pieces to a fully formed and well filled bear! At least time for the postman to bring me the stuffing I need since I didnít notice my stuffing stash was getting low!

Imagine if I were to knit only one project at a time. My needle breaks or I run low on yarn or stuffing. I order the needed item (I donít have a LYS) and waitÖ I have nothing to knit as I wait. Itís almost unbearable. The post office is a 30 mile round trip. Anxious to knit, I drive in each day to check for the needle or yarn.

Time spent on the road means less time to cook for my family and clean my house. My neglected family begs me to just start a new project and finish this one when the supplies arrive. However, in my determination to have only one project on the needles at a time, I continue to make the long trip into town each day, gazing into the empty post office box.

The gas gauge sinks lower and my credit card bill climbs as prices soar at the pump. SoonÖ I am unable to pay my bills. I am in danger of living in a cardboard box alongside the road (surrounded in yarn and with some needles of course).

Knitting away on an afghan to keep me warm. I have finally come to the point of only working on a single needed project, but at what cost!

http://www.beartoes.com/images/baglady-blog.jpg

SoÖ as you can see, I MUST knit multiple projects at a time. If not for myself, for my family!

Mama Bear

Stiney

10-02-2006, 09:01 PM

hehe, Mamabear, I solemly order you, on behalf of your family, to keep as many projects going as you need to!

My mom calls me fickle for having more than one going, but one is a blanket, and that gets boring, and another I'm knitting too tightly and it hurts my hands! So clearly I need a third project to give me a break from those two! (Ye gods, the justifications have started already!)

Ingrid

10-02-2006, 09:03 PM

:cheering: :cheering: :roflhard: :roflhard:

snowbear

10-02-2006, 09:37 PM

I wouldn't say I'm organized.... But I do tend to only have one project at a time.. I can drive w/ in an hour to several lys, and of course, joann's, michaels, and heck even wally world-.. & others.. but, I work on one project cause I want to see it done. Now if I have a big project that can only be worked at home.. I try to have a dishcloth or something to keep w/ me. I admire my fellow"Bear", and give her lots of "Bear hugs" for her ability to perservear in order to continue her love of knitting. All of us do this wonderful craft for many reasons, and many ways, I'm just "BEARY" glad she has found a way to contine that enables her to take care of her family, as a good Mama Bear should.

cookworm

10-02-2006, 10:38 PM

Mama Bear, I too knit more than one project at a time. I get too bored focusing on one thing at a time, and if one project frustrates me too much, then I can go on to another project, and at least something is getting completed. The only "promise" I made to myself is that any time I buy yarn, I have to do something with it, even if I have leftovers, and even if the original idea for it doesn't turn out or even if I couldn't figure out the pattern. I don't want brand new skeins sitting in my stash because I'd feel wasteful about that. But other than that, anything goes with my knitting, and knitting in itself has been very therapeutic for me. Most of my projects are pretty straightforward and don't require too much attention (which is good for me!), so maybe that's why I can have more than one project going on...if I were trying to knit really intricate patterns, I doubt I'd have the energy to do more than one thing!

Amber

10-02-2006, 10:47 PM

:roflhard: :roflhard: Thank goodness you made this realization in time!

Mo0nAngel

10-02-2006, 11:13 PM

ohmygoshhhhh mama bear!!!!! that was just incredibly hilarious you have definitely made my day!!!!! :roflhard: :roflhard: :roflhard: :roflhard: I was not expecting to see the cardboard box picture!!! :P :roflhard: :roflhard: But I totally get you...I as well am a polygamous knitter...you see i depend on my parent's desire to drive me to the store to buy my yarn (which they hate to do) and I get bored really easy so to sit here at home doing nothing but yapping away or watching tv all day long (especially on those days when there's absolutely nothing to watch) and become a potatoe couch is utterly unthinkable! :P
So hurrah for Polygamous knitters!!! :D :hug: :hug:

rebecca

10-03-2006, 08:13 AM

:roflhard: :rofl: :roflhard: OMGoodness, thank goodness I'm alone now when I'm howling with laughter, I would have scared Lonnie to death!! I must say, you sure do a wonderful job on all of your projects with such dire circumstances such as missing needles and yarn because of those who sneak into your "yarn shop" after hours and take items without even checking out!!! How do these "individuals" expect you to keep track of the inventory in the family yarn shop when such actions take place?! And look, they have almost put you in a BOX of all things, then, where would they shop?! Well, you can tell one of those shoppers that she can keep her pesky little hands off of your 2.5 dpns because she has a set of 5 headed her way right now :wink:

LOL, you did allow me to see the reason behind multiple project knitting (almost :roflhard: :rofl: ) I see that you most definitely MUST have many projects OTN at one time, my goodness, we see what would happen if you did NOT :teehee:

mwedzi

10-03-2006, 09:57 AM

:rofl: That pic is too funny. Especially since, with my broke behind, I am not far off from that.

You go ahead and have many projects. I have a lot going now, too. I have a short attention span, and I know what you mean about the needles. I'm so glad KP came out with options. You can leave a project on it's cable and just take off the tips and use those same tip sizes on another project. Comes in so handy.

itsazoo

10-03-2006, 10:17 AM

Mama Bear, you should write a book! Really. I would buy it! That was too funny. :roflhard:

cozy

10-03-2006, 11:50 AM

I could live in the box, so long as I had my yarn & needles. :rofl: :rofl:

TOO funny!

Only recently have I ventured back into polygamous knitting; so far, so good. There was NO way I could only work on a lace scarf as my single WIP--I would've gone crazy for sure. The other projects help me stay sane.

horve1

10-03-2006, 11:58 AM

:chair: That was the funniest thing I've read in a long time!!! But you made me LOL at work and got me lots of weird looks! Thank you!!!!!!!

Jan in CA

10-03-2006, 12:47 PM

:roflhard: :roflhard: :roflhard: :roflhard: Thanks for the laugh and keep knitting on as many projects as you choose!

Pink Dandelion

10-04-2006, 07:13 PM

...because of those who sneak into your "yarn shop" after hours and take items...

How could I ever do such a thing?

:flirt:

(and besides, her 'after hours' are hard to keep track of, especially since 2am, seems to be right smack-dab in the middle of her work day... :thinking: )

Well, you can tell one of those shoppers that she can keep her pesky little hands off of your 2.5 dpns because she has a set of 5 headed her way right now :wink:

Hey! My little hand's aren't pesky! :verysad:

Mama Bear

10-04-2006, 11:39 PM

cawthraven and cozy nice to know I'm not alone ;)

Jan, Ingrid, horve1, Amber thanks for letting me know I made you laugh. I have to admit that when I unveil some of my crazy thoughts and hit post I wonder if people will have a good laugh (my hopes) or just wonder why someone doesn't call in the guys in the white coats!

snowbear, thanks for all the bear to bear encouragment!

cookworm, but new skeins sometimes NEED to sit in stash so they can find their own time and season to figure out there future! :teehee:

Mo0nAngel, good thing you will be where you can get some MORE YARN this winter! xxx We can't have turning into a couch potatoe!

Becka, I'm so glad you understand the "difficult" circumstances I knit under : :rofl: I really appreciate the help with the 2.5dpns too, since those are my favorite sock size! The only thing is... if she gets too many of her own knitting supplies, she might leave home (don't tell her about my ulterior motives in sharing)! She's my best helper, not to mention that the kitchenaid mixer is hers...

mwedzi, I hope your broke behind is a temporary situation! You may have to join me in reclaiming yarn!

itsazoo, love your user name! Thanks for the encouragement on writing a book. I'm not sure it would work too well though, I can barely get an email written sometimes, and my run on sentences would surely drive an editor to tear their hair out! :hair:

PinkDandelion, I just appreciate that those peskyhands are working on dinner while I'm sitting here playing. :hug:

Thanks everyone! Your smiles made me smile.

Mama Bear

rebecca

10-05-2006, 01:54 PM

...because of those who sneak into your "yarn shop" after hours and take items...

My apologies, I didn't mean 'pesky' as a bad thing, just a 'shopping afterhours' in the yarn cellar way :wink:

Stiney

10-05-2006, 02:03 PM

Thanks for the encouragement on writing a book. I'm not sure it would work too well though, I can barely get an email written sometimes, and my run on sentences would surely drive an editor to tear their hair out! :hair:

This editor(ial assistant) didn't notice too many run-ons! :)

Mama Bear

10-12-2006, 04:31 AM

I haven't been at the computer much lately (tax extension deadline is coming up this weekend *UGH*) but cawthraven, I wanted to thank you for your support :)

What kind of editing work are you involved in?

Mama Bear

Stiney

10-12-2006, 09:45 AM

Math. :ick: I don't even really edit stuff. The closet I get to doing that is eyeballing stuff, and if I notice that something is wrong, getting it fixed. But I was an English major, so I notice poor grammar, even when I don't want to notice it!

I don't know about trade (books sold in bookstores), but in textbook publishing, editorial does absolutely no editing. Editors decide what to publish, how much to spend on it, and help the reps sell the books. Assistants photocopy things and set up reviews of our textbooks.